


The Warrior

by Planet_Bryyo



Category: Metroid Series
Genre: Gen, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-28
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-06-17 10:38:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15459522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Planet_Bryyo/pseuds/Planet_Bryyo
Summary: A stern old Chozo warrior takes a young human student under his wing.





	The Warrior

When they first landed on Zebes, she could feel the difference in the air. It suffocated her tiny lungs, forcing her to work harder for each breath. The feeling hit her as soon as they opened the hatch doors.

"Take this one into the settlement, _eeekaaahrr_." Old Bird whispered to one of the others, with a name completely unpronouncable to Samus. Then the elder knelt down beside her, brushing her hair gently off her face with one claw and saying, "You may call that one Blue Claw. Go with her now and I will come to you later, okay?"

Little Samus took Blue Claw's hand and allowed herself to be led into the stone-carved building ahead. On every side, she could see the watchful eyes of curious Chozo who had gathered around the ship to see what was going on. There were so many of them, of all different shapes and sizes. Each had painted their drab feathers in a unique array of colours. It was overwhelming, so she buried her head into Blue Claw's leg, only willing to trust her because Old Bird did.

She couldn't pick out many voices among the chattering crowd, but as they approached the door, the sounds of one onlooker stood out: the _clunk_ of his heavy armour as he strode closer to them, the faint _whirr_ of the weapon in his hands- something long, like a white spear lined with streaks of light and tipped in blue crystal. His voice was sturdy and firm, and though he lowered it, she could still hear everything he said.

"They brought a _human child_ back with them? What is the old bird thinking now? Has he lost his mind? She should have gone straight to a Federation world. This one will be the death of her."

Blue Claw hushed him with a growl from the back of her throat. She took a small object in hand and held it to the door shield, which retracted with a _whoosh_ , then hurried Samus away from the outside din and into the chamber.

\---

A few days into her stay, the environment had already taken a toll on her. She lay in bed, feverish, being tended to by a doting Chozo nurse. Her chest and throat were sore, and she barely had the energy to move, but that did not abate her curiosity when she saw four Chozo figures stroll past the slightly-ajar door.

"Go see her now. She is not in good health."

"This will not be the end of this conversation, old one. This is an act of cruelty and no less."

Noticing that her nurse had turned his back, Samus managed to crawl out of bed and toddle to the door. Her legs hurt as she moved, but the exhaustion was bearable. Even young as she was, she knew that things could be so much worse than this.

"...She is a lonely child and a friend of our people. She has no family now. To send her to an overcrowded orphanage on her own-"

"Would be an act of mercy. Do you want to distance her from her own culture? Her own species?"

There were four Chozo outside the room. Samus recognised three of them by voice- Old Bird, the elder with whom she was best acquainted; Grey Voice, who had always accompanied Old Bird on visits to K-2L; and White Feather, who had been tending to Samus's medical needs since she arrived. The fourth was unfamiliar, but she could see him through the crack in the door. Tall, armoured but slightly hunched- he was growing too old to carry the weight of his armour. His feathers were grey, but dramatically painted with bright orange and striking black. At his side, he held a long, near-pristine white spear- the only thing about him she recognised. This one didn't seem to want her here.

"Old one, think this through. You would bring a stranger into our midst, away from her own kin, away from those who understand her on every level- physically, emotionally, she cannot get what she needs from old Chozo like us."

Old Bird let out a sigh. "She is frightened. I cannot bring myself to leave a frightened child-"  
"She cannot breathe this air! Unless you wish to hook her up to an air pump for the rest of her life, there is no way for her to survive on Zebes!"

"I must agree with him, Old Bird." Grey Voice spoke up. "This air will poison her if we leave her too long. And that is only the beginning of the long list of issues-"

"Calm yourself, warriors." White Feather interjected. "We have proposed a solution for these issues. She could stay with us. Mother Brain has made a suggestion."

"The-" The old warrior paused, head cocked in thought. "So this is what it is all about? You wish to keep her because of the Mother?"

"We wish to keep her for a great many reasons." White Feather's eyes wandered sideways, to the walls carved with thousand-year-old symbols. "Our culture is dying, old warrior. We are dying. We are cursed people, and have been since the wings were taken from our backs. We have no way to preserve our knowledge, not within our own kind. I... I agree with you. I do not want to keep the child here either. She was not born into us, and she may never truly belong. But maybe this is the only way to keep things moving forward."

The fourth Chozo let out a throaty grunt. "So the Mother's best suggestion is to kidnap a child?"

"The Mother did not suggest we keep the child, that was Old Bird's doing. A foolish emotional decision, perhaps. But I see he has his reasons. And now the Mother has proposed a way."

"This still seems so unfair. I know what you are doing, I see it. You are afraid, Old Bird. And now you too, _arakkkerkerar_. You see the end and you cannot accept it. But you are too afraid to share our knowledge with the rest of the universe. We either let it be buried with us, or we share it willingly. If this is our only third option, I refuse to stand by it."

"The Chozo race has not been able to bear children in decades. Now we have a child given to us. She will be able to-"

At that moment, Samus was pulled away from the door. The nurse tucked her immediately back into bed, a little flustered that he'd made the mistake of turning his back on her. From here, she could only hear bits of the conversation going on outside.

"-have not had warriors since-"

"-peace has failed us, so we-"

"-you and Grey Voice can train-"

The door was shut, and the nurse began to coo reassuringly as he tended to her messy hair. It was not long before Samus, being both young and tired, had forgotten the conversation outside her door almost entirely. Shortly afterward, it was pushed open again, and in stepped Old Bird, with White Feather behind him.

This seemed to reignite some memories of the conversation, and Samus dived out of bed once again, stumbling into Old Bird's arms due to her own feeble limbs. She began to cry into his feathers.

"I-I don't want t-t-to go away. I w-want to be safe here."

Old Bird had to hide his own weeping. "Hush, child of the Chozo. I want to keep you safe."

\---

For many years, Samus had been a diligent student. She spoke both common Federation and Chozo languages as easily as one another. Her grasp on mathematics and the sciences were excellent, and her understanding of Zebesian history was beginning to stretch beyond even what Old Bird knew. She had an insatiable curiosity, a mind that may have befitted a researcher had her life gone differently. But Samus had a fire in her heart, one that was driven perhaps by vengeance, or fear. It seemed almost immoral to fuel it, as Iron Covert had pointed out on many an occasion.

But the Chozo needed their new warrior. She was their only hope, and even at this young age, she was determined to follow that path herself. Old Bird sometimes wished it could be any other way, but the great council had made their agreement. Samus would be entered into training with the old warriors, and she couldn't wait to start.

Old Bird lead her onto what looked like a large sports pitch of some sort, marked with various lines and symbols that she didn't understand. Two Chozo were approaching from the centre of the field.

"Normally, young Chozo would start physical training a little earlier than you, but I'm sure you'll do just fine. Iron Covert and Grey Voice will be your trainers. Give them a sign of respect."

Following Old Bird's words, Samus gave a short, respectful bow. Iron Covert and Grey Voice returned the gesture.

"She's much smaller than the ones I'm used to." Iron Covert remarked.

"But older too. I don't think human development is too far off our own, so if anything, she should be easier to train in every way."

"She has absorbed her other lessons well, hasn't she?" Grey Voice commented.

"Indeed she has. My, she's a curious mind, and a diligent one too! You will both have great success with her, I'm sure."

"So... Does this mean I will become one of the Chozo warriors?" Samus piped up, beaming in Old Bird's direction. He chuckled and ruffled her hair, still a bit caught off guard when he wasn't met with the texture of infant head feathers like he was used to.

"Patience, Samus. That is something you can decide to pursue-"

Iron Covert huffed sharply. "She will make that decision when she is mature enough to do so."

Old Bird nudged Samus gently forward. She seemed completely undeterred by the grumpy Chozo looking down on her.

"We'll give her basic physical training for now. Grey Voice will be your overseer, he is unable to engage in physical activity. The bulk of your lessons shall be with me."

In a motion so swift it was barely visible, Iron Covert swung his arm around to bring forward the spear, pointing it towards the bemused child- a signal of challenge. He thought she might not know it, but before he could explain himself, she puffed out her chest, turned sideways, and stretched out a balled fist as if raising an arm cannon- accepting the challenge.

"So, you know your basics?"

"She's been very good in her history lessons, Covert. Her knowledge stretches well beyond what I intended to teach her!"

"Hm. Then let's hope she's as good here as she is with you."

He took a few steps back and lowered his spear to the ground, hiding the slight trouble he had getting upright again. "As per Chozo tradition, the first things you will train are your athleticism and temperament. Are you prepared to take on this challenge, trainee Samus?"

The girl gave a firm nod.

\---

"When do we get to start training with the weapons?"

"When you've mastered your impulsiveness, for starters."

Samus pouted and resumed the stretches that her instructor had told her to do.

"Keep it up. One, two, three, four- you want to start with the weapons and you can't even last five seconds of a stretch?" Iron Covert tapped the back of her legs with his staff. "Come on, up with you."

Samus groaned and slumped. Iron Covert let out an exhausted sigh, glancing back at Grey Voice with his most disdainful expression. Grey Voice just raised an eyebrow.

"Alright, back up again. Try going for just four, then."

This time, Samus managed to hold the pose for the full three seconds, then clutched her side dramatically and rolled onto the ground.

"Are _all_ human children like this?"

"Perhaps we are pushing her too hard." Grey Voice noted, as he stepped onto the training field and extended a hand towards Samus. "She is only human, after all."

Iron Covert huffed. "She can be human, Chozo, hybrid, or a damned Geemer. It matters not. Discipline and technique, those are what makes the warrior Old Bird wants her to become, and those are what I shall teach her."

"Her physique is not the same as ours, even with our blood in her veins. Perhaps her training should be better tailored towards her needs."

"Why'd you even bring her here if you didn't think she'd be able to cope with your damn plans?" Iron Covert barked, before realising he should have held his tongue. It was too late by then, and Samus had stopped what she was doing. She was looking in his direction with an expression that he found hard to read- human faces were still something quite beyond his understanding- but the frown that followed was unmistakable.

"Don't look at me like that. Come on, one more round and then we can take a break."  
"I don't want to take a break."

"You don't- Samus, be reasonable. Perhaps Grey Voice is right."

Samus pouted. "I can do it, Iron Covert. I want to get better. I want to be good enough to use the weapons."

"And why, Samus? Do you think the weapons will make you a better warrior? No, discipline and patience will make you a warrior. If you cannot learn those things then how can you be responsible for-"

Samus shook her head defiantly. "You keep saying I'm not ready! You've been saying it for ages, but I haven't stopped training in months! When WILL I be ready?"

"I will know when you are ready."

"I don't think you want me to train here."

"Samus, be reasonable..."

Samus was already stomping away towards the settlement, from which Old Bird had just emerged with a sympathetic look on his face. Iron Covert grumbled something under his breath, and strode away in the opposite direction.

\---

"Your position is a little off. Bend at the knee and..." Iron Covert leaned sideways, trying to mentally adjust Samus's posture for human rather than Chozo anatomy. "Yes. That should do. Now, when Grey Voice tests you on this next week, you'll be up against bots, and they won't wait for you to get into stance. On count of three, strike the target. One, two-"

A mass of energy flew out of the arm cannon before Samus could stop herself. The training bot didn't even have time to put up its shields, and as the shot landed, the bot's left arm was blasted off.

"You're lucky we aren't training you against the Torizo like young warriors used to, else you'd be torn limb from limb for that lack of patience." Iron Covert stomped over and pushed her arm cannon back down. "Your aim was off target, for starters. That's forgivable, but could you try and hold on to yourself for one more-"

"I just lost my grip is all." Samus said with a firm glare.

"Lost your grip?"

"I couldn't hold on in the arm cannon." She snapped. Her brows were lowered into a frown, fist visibly clenched. Iron Covert came dangerously close to shouting at the impudence, but tempered his reaction into a calmer one, as he'd trained himself to do for many years.

"Okay." He moved his hand to the underside of the cannon, nudging it upright. "Perhaps you need a little more time getting used to the cannon before I pit you against these bots. Better that you master the swim before you are thrown into the deep."

Samus shook her head. "I'm fine going up against the bots, I can do it. It helps me train."

"But don't push yourself."

"Do you think I'm incapable?!"

"Don't snap at me!" Iron Covert lost his own temper for a moment, before reining it back in. "No, Samus, but I do think you're inexperienced, and I don't want you to push yourself to the point that you get hurt."

"And yet you keep pushing me harder. You keep acting like I'm not trying hard enough and I don't know what you want from me!"

Iron Covert said nothing, but she saw his expression change.

"And at the same time you seem to think I can't do anything, like I'm fragile because I'm part human or something! The minute something goes wrong, you call me off, but you look so disappointed like I should have done better. I'm trying so hard to do this! I'm trying so hard to be a Chozo warrior and it just..." She clenched both of her fists so hard that the arm cannon began charging. Iron Covert covered up his momentary panic and nudged the arm cannon sideways, allowing Samus to discharge the shot safely away from them.

"I want to prove to you I can do this. I'm working so hard but you never seem proud of what I do. I want to prove to you that I am a warrior worthy of the Chozo name, but you seem so unconvinced all the time."

Samus sat down on the side of the training field, chin on her hand, with a moody expression that Iron Covert wasn't entirely sure how to deal with yet. She'd certainly developed a fiery spirit since hitting her teens. Was that common among humans? He left her for a moment before approaching, holding his spear behind him- a gesture of submission in battle.

"My apologies, Samus. As a warrior, it would be dishonest and dishonourable not to admit to my own flaws. It is true, I am not sure what to do with you."

Samus looked up, expression softening a little. She found it very hard to stay angry at any of her Chozo family, even Iron Covert with his stern ways.

"I am cautious because I don't understand your limits. I push you to prove you are able to train here... Prove to myself, that is."

"So you don't think I belong. You've never thought I belonged, have you?"

Iron Covert knelt down beside her, having to steady himself as his joints clicked- his age was catching up to him. "It has always been my belief that a warrior is not decided by their size, or their strength, or species even, but by their mind, and the mind is something we can only shape ourselves. I can guide you, and make sure you don't underperform nor burn out. Perhaps I haven't quite figured you out yet, but that doesn't mean I don't think you can do it."

Samus turned her head to her arm cannon, running her fingers along the grooves and ridges of its fine design. Sometimes she wondered if she was truly worthy of it. Deep down, she KNEW she was. She had worked hard for it. This suit was a part of her now.

"I know you want to be a warrior, and I believe you can be. You will find your own way of fighting, one that agrees with both your body and spirit. That is what the Chozo warriors have always preached. That is the teaching I pass on to you."

Iron Covert stood up unsteadily, drawing his weapon forward and pointing it at the one-armed drone. "When you are ready, we can resume training, at whichever pace you choose."

\---

She had been into Chozodia many times throughout the years. The ancient city stood as tall and proud as it had hundreds of years ago, when it was first built. The spires of the great temple rose towards the sky, carved with the marvellous stone figures of old warriors, scholars, creators and philanthropists. Atop each pillar stood a sacred statue of a guardian, donning the very same armour that Samus herself wore now, holding spears above their heads like the one in Iron Covert's hand.

They made their way through the beautifully painted corridors, whose artworks remarked upon Zebes' harsh past; the devastation of war, the cruelty of the kings, the bravery of the peacekeepers. The temple itself was ancient, and though everything was a little dusty and faded, the murals and statues had persevered through time. There was no greater representation of the willpower of the Chozo than these ancient stone walls, many generations older than anybody walking through them now.

The chapel of the God of War was one of the highest rooms in Chozodia. It was a long walk to get there, but Samus knew the way off by heart. There was a distinct aura in the room, one that Samus had never been able to fully describe; peaceful, but also invigorating. It felt secure, but there was always a sense that some unknown presence was watching over you.

Today, Iron Covert had come to offer respect to the God of War, something he tended to do in the first days of each Zebesian month. He and Samus were the only ones kneeling before the mural; the other Chozo were too old and frail, and preferred to stand, as the kneeling posture did their legs no good. The room was near silent, all but a meditative hum from the focused elders.

 _We thank you, elder of war, for teaching us in the arts of discipline and combat._ Samus recited the mental prayer she had learned a long time ago.

_Thank you for the teachings that now pass down to me. We honour you for your dedication to our people and to Zebes. We remember these things, and continue to act as you did. You are an example of what we strive to be._

Worshipping one's ancestors was common practice among the Chozo. The most significant ancients were named as gods; those of great skill, or knowledge, or contribution to society. The God of War had been a guardian of Zebes' people long ago. Now, though they were not even sure who this warrior had been in life, or if they had even existed at all, the Chozo people honoured them in the halls of their most sacred temple.

_You are our past and our future. For you left us long ago, and one day we shall join at your side. We pray that your teachings serve us well, that one day we may have your power in death as we do in life._

The revered Chozo in the mural, name long lost to time, wore a suit of armour very similar to the one Samus herself was wearing- albeit bulkier and more ornate. She had seen the same armour on many statues before. It was reserved for the most renowned warriors. Even Iron Covert, who was now deeply focused upon his wordless prayer, was not deemed fit to wear it.

_Thank you, teacher of old. Thank you, teachers of the present, for keeping our wisdom and traditions alive._

When she glanced over at the end of her prayer, Samus caught a glimpse of something she scarcely ever saw. It was well-hidden, but she knew her mentor well enough to spot it. Iron Covert's head, bowed in prayer and meditation, quivered slightly. His expression was controlled, but she could see his eyes clenched shut, as if having to fight back tears.

She had seen this before. He enjoyed these visits, but they were never entirely peaceful. She knew he had lost many people, to battle or old age, and he used this time to reminisce. Outside of these walls, he exercised and fought and did everything he could to distract his mind from the thought of it. She knew how painful it was to lose people, and that he couldn't really shake off the pain. In here, he couldn't avoid it at all.

She was tempted to ask if he was okay, but as a sign of respect for her elder, she did not. Had it been Old Bird, she could have given him that comfort, but Iron Covert was too proud to admit to his sorrows. So they both continued to hide their current feelings, trying to focus their minds entirely on the mural, cutting out the sounds, sights, and smells of their surroundings.

As they left the chapel behind, reality seemed to hit Samus once more. Even the little things, like flies buzzing around, and the faint sound of the lake waters rushing against its shores, were totally absent in the hall of the God of War. But now she could hear the distant moving waters, and the rumble of a growing storm. She was caught off guard when someone placed a hand on her arm.

"Samus, I wanted to... To say a few words to you, if I could."

Iron Covert's voice was quieter and hoarser than usual. He rarely spoke at all when leaving the chapel, and by the time they'd left the great temple of Chozodia, he'd usually regained his composure. As he spoke now, his voice was so feeble that it didn't sound like it belonged to the stern old warrior at all.

"My visits to the room of the Warrior have not been peaceful lately." She knew they never truly were, but this time seemed unusual. "I have confessions to make, but it would do me no good to confess them silently to an old god. I must confess to you that... I wish I had trained you differently."

"You have trained me very well, and been a good mentor."

"Heh. No doubt I have done a good job, and I am proud of most of it. But I haven't been a perfect teacher. My greatest worry is that... That my own reservations have held you back. You recall me telling you, not long ago, that I pushed you to prove to myself that you were worthy of training?"

Samus nodded.

"I should not have. That is no way to teach. It is not how I learned, and it is not how I would treat a Chozo- one who was born into the Chozo, that is- if they were my student. It is unfair to you that I am constantly testing you for my own benefit. This training is for you, not for me, and if I am a good teacher then I will do what you need."

Samus said nothing. She wasn't entirely sure what to say. She didn't even feel particularly upset with him, on the instant, even though she knew what he was saying was probably true.

"I don't even expect you to forgive me for it, but my concern now is... Moving forward, I want to see you trained to the best of your ability. I will do my utmost to see it happen, if you are happy with that."

Samus hesitated, still not quite finding the words, and ended up just nodding. "I... I'm fine with it, mentor. I still want to train."

"Then that is good."

"And I'm sorry for snapping at you!" She blurted, hit with a pang of guilt. Iron Covert seemed a little surprised by it, but pleased, as she saw the rare hint of a smile at the corners of his beak.

"That is also fine. We are emotional creatures, and it happens."

"I'll try to be a bit more patient from now on. I- I'll be a student worth your time."

Iron Covert's expression didn't change, but he gave what she took to be an approving nod, and continued out of the temple in silence.

\---

Spear against cannon, two armoured warriors engaged in combat on the old Zebesian battleground.

"Avoid me on your left!"

Samus made a swift dodge.

"Excellent, Samus!"

With a quick movement of his arm, so graceful it was almost dance-like, Iron Covert had Samus pinned by the leg. Her retaliation was not so graceful, but the sheer force she brought with it knocked her tutor off his feet. She balled up before the spear tip hit her chest, rolling a good twenty feet or so out of his range before she unfurled. By the time he got his bearings, her arm cannon was charged and ready to go.

BLAM! An energy mine tossed her on her side. The next thing she knew, Iron Covert was back above her, spear to her throat, but she recalled the moves he'd taught her and swiped it out of the way, moving her arm from the elbow. It pulled him off balance and he was grounded once again. As she began to charge up a second time, he extended a hand as a gesture of surrender.

"Very well, very well." He panted. Seeing the state of him, Samus felt guilty for straining him so hard, though she knew he would accept no less. "That was... Very good. You forgot... _pant pant_... You forgot about the environment, that's something you will have to remember next time. Had that energy grenade been a real weapon, I might not have needed to come for you again. But still... _pant pant_... That was an admirable display."

"I know I could have done better." She sat beside him, taking off her helmet. It was always funny to him, looking at her face now and thinking of the chubby infant that Old Bird had brought to Zebes all those years ago.

"You can always do better, that is just a fact of being a warrior." He pulled himself up into a more dignified position, with Samus's help. "Every opponent is different. Everybody brings a different skillset. You will have to adapt to every competitor. When you have mastered fighting me, you will no doubt come across someone who will throw you off your feet immediately. But you must learn to get back up as quickly as possible, and adjust yourself for the new challenge. That is what it takes to be a warrior like us."

Samus nodded. She took a moment to breathe in the fine air which had once been toxic to her, long ago. Now it was refreshing.

"Are you alright, mentor? I hope I didn't hurt you-"

"No more than expected. Some say I shouldn't be going at my age, but if I die in training, at least it will serve the good purpose of furthering your tuition. " He didn't even chuckle. He was being deadly serious about it. He soon picked up on the mildly horrified look on Samus's face, and changed the subject. "I wished to talk to you, about the plans I had..."

"You were going to take me to Norfair?"

"The Mother has surveyed the temples for me. They have not been used in many years. I am afraid they are worse for wear, and the Torizo are... They are not who they once were. They may not be our allies now."

Samus sighed. "Grey Voice said I shouldn't get my hopes up... It would have made for a fantastic proving ground, though."

"There is no final proving ground. We took our strongest to Norfair to train them in the harshest conditions, that they might fully understand the hardships of being a warrior. It was not a test of strength so much as a lesson in willpower. And you, Samus... You've seen plenty enough hardships as it is."

He gazed over the horizon, at the setting sun and the smallest of Zebes' moons barely visible in the sky. Hazy orange clouds obscured the tops of the distant Craterian mountains. A glistening golden sheen was cast over the great lake, and the mighty temple of Chozodia was bathed in evening light, creating a dark shadow on the land between them and the ancient city.

"Do you trust me, Iron Covert?"

Iron Covert seemed taken aback by the question. "I... Samus?"

"I... I know you've never wanted me here. You struggled to train me."

Iron Covert cocked his head.

"But I hope I have proven my worth, in the face of it all." Samus stood up, surrounded by the air of proud determination that she always bore. "I have fought hard to be one of us, of the Chozo, and I am nothing less. I hope you understand that."

"Samus..." Iron Covert stood up beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder both for support and reassurance. "Samus, nobody has seen you fight as I have. You are a warrior through and through. But a Chozo..." He paused, then rested a claw on her armour, above her heart. "I have no doubt that you are our kin. Yes, I... I was afraid to have you here, long ago. That was not because of you. It was because of my worry for you." She sensed some reservation in his voice, like he wasn't telling everything. "But you have become a member of our society, our culture, our family. You know what the Chozo know and you live as the Chozo live. You are an asset to our kind, to our family, and I... I couldn't be more proud." He lowered his head. "And I am sorry if I have made you believe I think anything less."

Samus placed a hand gently on his shoulder. "Iron Covert, you are my family. I'm sorry to have... I'm sorry I accused you like that. You have trained me for many years and I couldn't be more thankful for it. I was just... I was always a little bit afraid that you didn't think I-"

At this, Iron Covert let our a rare chuckle. "Oh, Samus, I have nothing but pride. My grievances, they... I have none with you. You are the pride and joy of all Chozo here, including me. We are proud that you should carry our torch. I just... Promise me one thing, yes?"

Samus nodded, and Iron Covert leaned in and spoke gently.

"Promise me you will be okay. That you will not overburden yourself. I have taught you to fight your hardest and hit nothing less than your greatest potential, but remember that you must look after yourself too. I don't say that because I don't think you can manage, or because I think you are weak in any way. I just want to know that you will be safe and healthy. Even I fail to practice what I am preaching sometimes. Look at me now, exhausted from a battle I am too old to fight. Don't push yourself as foolishly as I do, okay?"

Samus rolled her eyes. "I'll do my best, but you know me."

"Nothing less than your best, both on the battlefield and in self-care. Now come, our armour needs tending to and our stomachs need filling, lest we have no energy for the next bout of sparring."

As Samus helped Iron Covert limp back into the settlement, he paused again to look over the Zebesian horizon, resting his eyes on Chozodia, the temple from which his royal ancestors had ruled. It perched on the overlook below which the first of Zebes' Chozo had made their unfortunate landing in the lake. Truly, a mark of Chozo endurance and survival, the embodiment of their peoples' strength. Strength that he saw boundlessly in Samus. In all his years, he had scarcely trained a warrior who embodied the spirit of the Chozo like this human woman did.

Chozo woman. She was their kin and nothing less. And he was proud of her.


End file.
